Rarely, the penis’ skin or internal tissue can develop cancer. This is known as penile cancer.
Each year, approximately 550 men in the UK are given a diagnosis of penis cancer, with men over 60 being the majority of those affected.
More than 20% more cases of penile cancer have been reported in the past 30 years; this increase may be related to changes in sexual behavior.
The number of deaths brought on by the condition has decreased, though, as a result of advancements in diagnosis, staging, and care.
Signs and symptoms
Any anomalies or indications of penile cancer should be watched out for, such as:
- a penis growth or sore that takes longer than four weeks to go away
- either the penis or the foreskin is gushing with blood.
- a foul-smelling discharge
- Phimosis is the term for the condition where the skin of the penis or foreskin becomes thicker and is difficult to draw back.
- an alteration in the penis’s or the foreskin’s color
- a penis-related rash
Although it’s unlikely that these symptoms are brought on by penis cancer, they should still be looked into if you experience them.
The likelihood of a successful treatment could be lowered by any delay in the diagnosis of penile cancer.
Types of penile cancer
The variety of tissues that make up the penis determines the type of penile cancer you will have.
Penile cancer comes in a variety of forms, including:
- More than 90% of cases of penile cancer are squamous cell, which begins in the cells that line the penis’ surface.
- A specific form of squamous cell cancer called carcinoma in situ (CIS), which affects only the cells in the skin of the penis and has not yet spread deeper,
- The cancer known as adenocarcinoma begins in the sweat-producing glandular cells of the penis.
- Melanoma of the penis: This type of cancer affects the skin’s pigment-producing cells.
More details about the various types of penile cancer can be found on the Cancer Research UK website.
Causes of Penile Cancer
There is no known cause for penile cancer, but there are some risk factors that can raise your risk of developing it.
The human papilloma virus (HPV), which is the virus that causes genital warts, increases a man’s risk of developing penile cancer.
According to studies, HPV infections affect nearly half of all men (47%) who have penile cancer.
Men under the age of 40 are less likely to develop penile cancer than men over the age of 60, who are most at risk for the disease.
The main lifestyle factor that increases your risk of developing penile cancer is smoking, which contains chemicals that can harm the cells in your penis.
Your likelihood of developing infections like balanitis is increased by penis-related conditions like phimosis, which makes it difficult to retract the foreskin.
Because repeated infections can compromise your immune system, they are associated with an increased risk of developing some types of penile cancer.
More details regarding the dangers and causes of penile cancer are available on the Cancer Research UK website.
Diagnosing penile cancer
Your doctor will inquire about your symptoms, when they occur, and perform a penile exam to check for penile cancer symptoms.
To determine whether you should be referred for additional tests for suspected penile cancer, read the NICE 2015 guidelines on Suspected Cancer: Recognition and Referral. In 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidelines to assist GPs in recognizing the signs and symptoms of penile cancer and referring patients for the right tests faster.
Your general practitioner may recommend a specialist, typically a urologist (a medical professional who specializes in diseases of the urinary system and genitalia), if they have reason to believe you may have penile cancer.
The specialist may also look for any physical signs of penile cancer while examining your medical history, asking you about your symptoms, and reviewing your medical history.
To determine your overall health and blood cell count, a blood test may be performed.
You may need a biopsy to determine whether you have penile cancer, in which case a small tissue sample will be taken and examined for cancerous cells under a microscope.
Homoeopathic Treatment of Penile Cancer :
Conium, Carbo Animalis, or As Per Doctor’s Instructions
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